Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-04-29

same distance from him, each being the
side of triangle. AS saw him hesi-
tating about choice, calmly reasoned
that he would come my way. He had
two victims under tree, and only one
the other way. He was long minute
making up his mind, and then he came
c'' ping toward the tree, head up, eyes
blazing, and tongue darting in and out.
1t may be that the serpent saw the
sleeping man, but If so he had deter
mined on attacking me alone, perhaps
because l was higher up and offered
him a better show. When l realized
that he was certainly coming my way
felt tingle Of excitement all through
my nerves, aud at once shouted to the
sleeping servant. He cast off sleep and
sprang up, and l suppose this action
saved me, for the cobra had already
raised its head as high as the hammock.
AS the native sprang up he could have
! touched the snake. He saw il before
him, uttered Shrek of terror, and next
instant was victim. saw the snake
strike him repeatedly in the face. |
think the poor fellow lost consciousness
with the first attack. for the one scream
was all he uttered.
The alarm seemed to 90 all over the
village III moment, and the people at
once FASTENED up with drums, articles
| of tiuware, and whatever would create
din. They also shouted at the tops Of
| their voices, and for Il moment or two
the cobra seemed undecided whether TO
attack me or beat hasty retreat. was
sick and dizzy with the terror and the
odor, and made ITO move TO help myself.
That was doubtless the wisest policy. |
could have only emptied myself out of
the hammock upon The ground beside
him, and he certainly would have re.
sented my presence. Twice he reared
up as if he intended to strike me, but the
noise alarmed him. A youHd man final
ly came up with blazing torch, and
this was hurled with such precision as
to alight directly upon ene of the cobra's
folds. He must have been badly scorch-
ed, for he hissed as loudly as an angry
gander, Hoped himself about in ter
rible way, and then went off TO the jun
gle at a rapid rate. Then natives rush.
ed to the aid OF their poor fellow, who
was unconscious and moaning in pitt
full way. They had half dozen rene
dies on hand, but none of them was Of
the least avail. He died in about thirty
i've minutes, and the corpse was one of
the worst sights ever beheld. 1t turned
green black with the powerful poison.
and 1t swelled until one could hardly be-
lieve the object had ever been a human
being. The natives examined the face
and reported that the serpent had struck
him five times.
About six weeks after the adventure
with the serpent, and while lying in
camp about thirty miles distant, fine
opportunity was given me to observe,
from single standpoint, the character
istics of the rhinoceros, the tiger, and a
snake of another species. We had our
camp in a village which wis half desert
ed on account Of the proximity Of bad
rhinoceros and two or three man-eating
tigers. A bad rhinoceros, 1t may he ex-
planned, is the same thing as bad ele-
phant. 1t is one that has lost in fair
fight his leadership, and is driven away
in disgrace. The rhinoceros isn't social
like the elephant, and seldom more than
two are found together. Once in while
some old chap gets so ugly that there is
no living with him, end he is deserted
until the spell passes of. While bad he
will fight anything that walks, flies, or
swims, and in his blind fury he will
charge thcket as soon as moving
object.
About mile from the village, and
reached by path through the forest,
was pool, at which many wild ami
mails came to slake their thirst. We
went over one morning and built plat.
form for one Of us to stand on In the
branches of convenient tree, and then
hunted about until we found places for
my two companions on paths which
were beaten hard under the feet Of
thousands of animals. IL was In the
dry season, and the pond was low.
Therefore it might be expected that the
pool would he sought out by animals
from great distance. Nothing Of &C
count came to it in the daytime, as ex-
perience had taught US. tits only after
sundown that elephants, the rbinoceros.
lions, tigers, panthers and such beasts
approach pool to drink, especially If
it is In hidden place. No doubt some
of them may go two or three days with
out water, but the hunter who takes his
stand at pool is always certain Of big
game Of some sort.
We set out for our stations about an
hour before sundown, each Of Us fav-
ing a native attendant to remain
through the night. Just before we
reached :he pool, and while my maL
was trotting along few feet ahead Of
me. jaguar leaped down upon him
from limb With loud scream. The
beast rather overshot his mark, but
clawed the mans shoulder severely.
The native uttered shouts Of terror, and
fired shot which missed the beast,
and he licked his chops at me in a saw
age manner aud bounded away. The
man could not go OF with me. He was
severely hurt and In great pain, and I
told him TO run back TO the village for